


we've not yet lost all our graces

by thekaidonovskys



Series: Becoming Three [15]
Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Autographs, Grocery Shopping, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-21
Updated: 2014-08-21
Packaged: 2018-02-14 01:29:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2172804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thekaidonovskys/pseuds/thekaidonovskys
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hermann puts on his glasses and promptly abandons him, just as Newt whizzes by on the shopping cart, laughing maniacally. </p>
<p>Tendo sighs again. “This is why I shop alone,” he repeats to himself.</p>
            </blockquote>





	we've not yet lost all our graces

**Author's Note:**

> A mashup of two Tumblr prompts: the triad grocery shopping, and Newt getting asked for an autograph.

"I wanna push the cart!”

Tendo sighs as Newt races past him, and shares a glance with Hermann. “This is why I shop alone,” Tendo says, wincing as Newt tugs out a shopping cart hard enough to echo right around the store. “This isn’t going to go well, is it?”

“I’ll do my best to keep him in line,” Hermann says - but absently. His eyes have wandered past Tendo and over to a shelf marked SPECIAL! “Hm,” he murmurs. “That’s not the brand you normally buy, but it’s half price… what’s the price per single item?”

Hermann puts on his glasses and promptly abandons him, just as Newt whizzes by on the shopping cart, laughing maniacally. 

Tendo sighs again. “This is why I shop _alone_ ,” he repeats to himself. 

***

Ten minutes later, he’s managed to corral his partners back to his side with stern words to Newt about behaviour in public and reminders to Hermann that, with three relatively good incomes, they don’t need to worry about a twenty cent difference in price. Newt’s still weaving the cart around a bit and Hermann’s still reading all the fine print on every price tag, but at least they’re where Tendo can see them.

And where Tendo can boss them around.

“Hermann - spaghetti. No longer than a minute on price comparison. Newt - grab that swirly pasta you like… leave the cart _here._ ” He watches them both go, nodding in satisfaction, then grabs three other items on his list while he waits. Everything’s organised by his meal plan, which is tentatively organised around their supposed schedules for the week, but there are some impulsive purchases here and there as well.

That said, Tendo expects there to be a few more of those today.

Sure enough, when they hit the next aisle - baking and cake mixes - Newt’s eyes light up. “Cool!” he says as he abandons the cart to dart along the aisle. “Chocolate, caramel, chocolate _and_ caramel - Tendo, can you make these?”

Tendo scoffs. “Can I make _those_? Yes, but I refuse to. I make my cakes from scratch, Newt.”

“I know and they’re awesome but look at _this!_ ” Newt brandishes a box of, admittedly delicious looking, confetti cake mix. “I bet even I could do this.”

“No,” Tendo and Hermann say in unison, then swap smirks. “Fine,” Tendo continues. “Put it -“

Newt throws the box at the cart and misses. Tendo winces, then exhales in relief when the box doesn’t burst open. He gives Newt his best raised eyebrow, and Newt scurries over to pick it up and put it in the cart. 

There’s another delay at the decorations (“Those are _miniature Kaiju_ , Newton. We are not having a cake with miniature Kaiju on them”) but Tendo manages to get them into the next aisle without too much drama.

Then he stops and groans.

Confectionary.

Newt’s gone before Tendo can say a word. Sighing, he turns to Hermann for support, only to find him in deep perusal of the different brands of dark chocolate. Suppressing his urge to play parent, Tendo lets them run free. He raises an eyebrow at the three blocks of chocolate Hermann quietly slips in the cart, forcibly removes half of Newt’s armful of pure concentrated sugar, and adds his own favourites - gummy bears - before getting out of the aisle as fast as possible.

Thank god for cleaning supplies. 

Newt wanders along with him, pushing the cart again. Hermann’s on his other side, muttering something about which shelves are worth the most money to advertisers. Tendo gets what they need, crosses it off the list, and checks what’s left. Thankfully not much.

“Okay,” he says. “Frozens, then -“

“Dad, that’s Doctor Geiszler!”

The three turn in unison to find the source of the voice - a young boy, about seven or eight, and his bemused looking father. “Sorry,” he says, then looks down at his son. “Yes, that is Doctor Geiszler, and Doctor Gottlieb and Commander Choi as well. However, they’re very busy and it’s polite to - James!”

The kid - James, it seems - has let go of his father’s hand during that and suddenly thrown himself at Newt, wrapping his arms around Newt’s legs. Newt chokes off what sounds like the beginnings of a squeak of surprise, and stares wildly between Hermann and Tendo. “What do I do?” he whispers.

Thankfully, James solves that one for him. “I’m your biggest fan,” he says, looking up at Newt with what can only be the purest expression of adoration. “You make science _cool._ I wanna be like you when I grow up.”

And Newt just _beams._ “That’s awesome, little dude,” he says, all of his enthusiasm returning in full force. “Gotta study hard, though.”

“I will! I’m learning about the Kaiju attacks in school and we have to do presentations about it and I’m gonna dress up as you for mine - dad’s gonna draw the tattoos on for me.” 

Tendo looks at the father, who’s shaking his head fondly. “He insists,” he says. “I hope you don’t mind, Doctor Geiszler?”

“Mind? No, hey, no way. Just make sure you don’t _actually_ get any tattoos until you’re eighteen and your parents say it’s okay, alright?”

James nods. “Can I have your autograph, Doctor Geiszler?” he asks.

“It’s Newt, buddy. And yeah, of course, but I don’t have a pen or -“ Tendo’s already handing him pen and paper, and Newt smiles. “Thanks, honey. Now then…”

While Newt’s scribbling out what seems like some sort of essay, a woman shows up with her arms full of items. “Couldn’t have gotten the trolley _any_ further away, could you?” she asks, but her smile belies her words. Then she looks over to James and Newt and raises an eyebrow. “Is that Doctor Geiszler?”

“Sure is. And his partners.”

The woman steps forward and holds out her hand, which they both shake. “Our personal thanks for your efforts in the war,” she says. “And, might I add, the three of you look lovely together.”

Tendo grins, and glances at Hermann who’s blushing slightly. “Thank you,” he says. “I’m afraid Newton has rather enamoured your son.”

“Which we’re thankful for,” she says. “James is in an accelerated program and will be starting high school next year. He struggles to fit in with his peers, but always reminds himself that Doctor Geiszler and Doctor Gottlieb did the same thing and so he can too.”

Hermann looks a little misty eyed at that, and Tendo takes his hand. “I wish him the very best,” Hermann says quietly. 

“As do I,” Newt says, standing up again as James runs back over to his dad to show him the autograph. “It’s not easy, but it’s worth it.”

“If the school allowed it,” Tendo says contemplatively, “I reckon it’d increase his ‘cool status’ if these two could show up for his presentation.” He writes down his email address and hands it to the woman. “Let me know. I’ll arrange their schedules accordingly.”

“I think that would mean the world to him - and I’ll do my best to make it happen. For now, we’ll let you get on.” 

“Bye, Newt!” James calls before following after his parents. 

Tendo and Hermann both immediately turn to look at Newt, who’s smiling so happily that they can’t help but smile either. “Look at that,” Tendo teases gently. “Still a rockstar, huh?”

“Nah, dude,” Newt says quietly. “Apparently I’m an inspiration now.”

“Of course you are,” Hermann says. “You always have been." 

“Aw, _Herms_ ,” Newt says, and kisses him.

Tendo rolls his eyes. “Guys, we’re in the middle of an aisle here. Let’s save the PDA for when it’s, y’know, _not_ PDA. Or you two can go wait in the car while I finish.”

Newt and Hermann exchange a glance, then Hermann lets go of Tendo’s hand to take Newt’s. “See you soon!” Newt says, and they’re gone.

Tendo chuckles.

Then sighs with relief. 

“I don’t care how adorable that was,” he mutters to himself. “ _Never again_.”

**Author's Note:**

> Stupid fluffy triad prompts give me life.
> 
> Title from "Team".


End file.
